Nomad

January 14, 2014

The concept

The Nomad is an all-season, all-terrain, recreational vehicle built to explore the back country. It looks similar to a Classic Airstream travel trailer but it’s equipped with four tracks and an off road suspension.

The background

When I initially conceptualized the Mirage snowmobile, I had a few different paths I could have chosen from. My younger brother, who wanted to build a machine that could explore and camp all year round, suggested one of these paths to me. He was initially thinking about using a Subaru power pack / transmission with a Westfalia frame. That is how the Nomad project began in my mind. Since my goal was the ‘Mirage’, I placed the ‘Camper’ idea aside and let it rest for a few months before addressing it again.

How it works

The Nomad is basically a recreational vehicle, built to withstand all four seasons. It is well insulated, equipped with a small combustion wood-stove and all the amenities of a great RV. The vehicle would use 256 HP Subaru Boxer engine, since its pistons move horizontally, it has a flat profile, saving space between the camper and the ground. There is also a Lineartronic CVT transmission powering the 4 snow tracks, meaning the optimal power of the engine would be used without any need to shift. For the actual tracks, I think it may be better if they were all steerable with hydraulic power steering. I’ve asked Soucy Track to adapt, or develop one of their existing products for the Nomad.

What it’s used for

I would use this machine to go out on two or three days camping trip in late fall or even the mid-winter. Of course you would need to find a place to go like a national park. The Nomad could be purchased or rented by land owners, National Parks and Large Hotels located in the countryside. Tour operators could also operate and offer them to tourists and adventurers. Another cool option would be to outfit the Nomad with wheels so that it could travel on public roads, effectively becoming a true exploration vehicle.

The designer

The Nomad’s renderings were produced by Jan Metelka, who is located in the Czech Republic. Jan studied at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague and he has also created the images for the FireQuad concept.